Foundation garment



May 16, 1939- E. R. KAUPP FOUNDATION GARMENT INVENTOR "i fiw Filed Apri 1938 Patented May 16, 1939- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Vogue Mfg. tion of NGWJOIIOY 00., Newark, N. 1., a corpora- Application A prli a', 1m. semi No. zousa BCIaims.

This invention relates to foundation garments for women's wear; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to an improved foundation garment comprising a girdle of novel construction capable of use with or without a brassire section, but constructed and arranged especially for cooperation with a novel brassiere section adapted to be separably and interchangeably united therewith to form a novel composite or all-in-one foundation garment.

It is frequently the desire among women, and in fact it is the present trend of fashion, that the figure be molded to attain long waisted efl'ects with high bust contours. It is an object of this invention to provide a novel construction of foundation garment which is calculated to mold the wearers figure so as to attain such desiderata.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel composite foundation garment comprising a girdle section having high cut sides and a novel breast lifting elastic panel at its central upper front portion, together with a novel shoulder strap means, each strap thereof having bifurcate front end portions, the arms of which connect respectively with the peak of said central panel and a side of said girdle section, and a novel brassiere section, together with cooperative means for detachably connecting the front of the same to said shoulder strap means,

and means for detachably connecting the back thereof to the girdle back, which is desirablein most cases, all so arranged and related as to attain a floating effect with respect to said brassire section which automatically allows the 5 latter to adjust itself to the desired bust elevation.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the 0 same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is'a front face view or elevation of the novel foundation garment according to this in- 45 vention; and Fig. 2 is a rearsface view or elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the garment.

Similar characters of reference are employed 60 in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, the novel foundation garment comprises a lower garment section 5 in the form of a girdle and an upper garment sec- 55 tion 6 in the form of a brassiere.

(Cl. H0)

The girdle section I comprises a body encircling structureadapted, preferably, to open in full or partially along a suitably located longitudinal line, the opening thus provided being provided with suitable means for closing the same, such, e. g., as the well known slide fastener means indicated by the reference character I.

Said girdle section 5 comprises a lower front panel 8, preferably non-elastic, having, Joined to its upper end portion, an upper front panel 0 1. made of elastic material capable of vertical or up and down stretch. Joined to the sides of said lower and upper front panels 8 and 9 are side panels "I, which are preferably made of elastic fabric capable of two way stretch, i. e., capable of 15 stretching both perpendicularly and transversely. Joined to and extending between the rearward side margins of said side panels III is a back panel II, which is preferably: made of non-elastic fabric. Said back panel H is of less upwardly extending length than are said side panels Ill. Connected with the upper end of said back panel H is a non-elastic center strip i2, and extending obliquely downward from the upper portions of said rearward side margins of the side panels ll, V to converge upon said center strip l2, in secured relation to the sides of the latter, are obliquely stretchable elastic fabric inserts l3.

The upper end portions of said side panels are high cut, and extend, from the rear portions thereso of, forwardly below the arm-pits of the wearer so as to terminate in end peaks l4, which are adapted to be disposed adjacent to and somewhat forward of the wearer's arm-pits. The elastic front panel 9 is provided with curved upper margins 35 I 5 which extend around and beneath the wearers breasts, and thence in upwardly converging relation, thereby providing an upwardly directed central extension ll which passes upwardly between the wearers breasts.

Aflixed to the upper marginal portions of the back of the girdle section are the rearward end portions of shoulder straps [1, said rearward end portions of said straps I! preferably terminating in longitudinally stretchable elastic sections it. Said straps I! are provided at their forward portions, with adJustment loops I 9 having controlling slide pieces Ill, whereby the length of the straps may besuitably varied as required. Said adjustment loops is are coupled by connecting links 2| with front strap-end portions 22. Each front strap-end portion 22 terminates at its lower end in downwardly extending divergent branches or 1 arms 23 and 24. The inner branches or arms 23 are secured to the upper extremity of the cena5 tral extension I of said elastic front panel 5, while the outer branches or arms 24 are secured respectively to the end peaks ll of the respective side panels Ill. The divergent branches or arms 23-24 are thus disposed to pass from points adjacent the sides of the wearers breasts to converge upon the strap-end portions 22 at points above the wearers breasts.

By the described novel construction of the upper side and front portions of the girdle section as combined with the novel shoulder strap structure, an upward lifting embrace is independently afforded as to each breast, whereby the wearers bust is brought into the desired high position. Due to the up and down stretch of the upper front panel 9 and its extension l8 which lies between the breasts, not only is upward lift exerted upon the breasts, but also'a desired lateral separation thereof is obtained which is calculated to produce an individual molding effect thereupon with accompanying symmetrical lateral spacing whereby the pleasing lines and con.- tours of high bust effect is assured. At the same time due to the directional control of the clasticity or stretch of the upper front panel 9 and its extension 'I 6 over the diaphragm greater bodily freedom and comfort is assured without loss of said desired high bust effect. The novel arrangement of shoulder strap connection at the front portions of the girdle section, so distributes the supporting pull of the straps that tendency of the flesh to roll in the vicinity of the waist line and under the arms is largely avoided, while at the same time the novel method of support eliminates any tendency of the top portions of the girdle section to roll down.

Provided for cooperation and combination with the novel girdle section is a separable strapless brassiere section. This brassiere section comprises a suitably constructed front part having full-fashioned breast receiving members 25, .ter-' minating at their upper ends in top peakportions 26 to which are secured upwardly directed elastic attachment loops 21. Extending from the sides of said breast receiving members 25 are side panels 28, to the rearward side margins of which are joined longitudinally stretchable elastic fabric rear portions 29. These rear portions 29 are preferably of tapering cut. The meeting ends of said rear portions 29 are equipped with any suitable means for separably connecting the same.

together. Secured to and dependent from the rear portion of said brassiere section,v adjacent to the centrally meeting ends of its rear portions 28 is a rear attachment strap 30, preferably made of elastic tape. Said attachment strap is provided at its free end with a fastener hook 3| for selective cooperation with vertically spaced eyelets 32, with which said center strip l2 of girdle section is provided. The shoulder strap end portions 22 of the girdle section preferably extend slidably through the links 2| and are provided at their upperends with suitable designed hookplates 33 dependent therefrom. When the brassiere section is arranged in place, the elastic attachment loops 2'! are engaged with the hookplates 33, thus suspending the top peak portions 26 of the brassiere breast receiving members 25 from the shoulder straps of the girdle section, and thereby operatively associating the front portions of the' girdle and brassiere sections together. The back portions of the girdle and brassire sections are separably connected together by v engaging the fastener hook 3| of the rear-attachment strap 30 with a selected eyelet 32 of the center strip 12. of the girdle section. The latter arrangement allows for vertical relative adjustment of the brassiere and girdle sections. It will be obvious that by the described arrangement the brassiere and girdle sections are operatively associated together to form an all-in-one or composite foundation garment, in-which the one set of shoulder straps serves to support both sections of the garment, while at the same time this novel method attaching the brassiere and girdle sections together permits of a somewhat floating association of the brassiere section relative to the girdle section, and consequently permits the former to automatically adjust itself to the high bust disposition which the garment provides for.

It will be understood that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims; it is therefore intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' I claim:

1. In a foundation garment, a girdle section having high out side portions, a perpendicularly stretchable panel at the upper front portion of said girdle section between said side portions thereof, said panel having concavely curved top marginal portions to extend around and beneath the breasts of the wearer, said panel having a central upwardly directed extension to extend between the wearer's breasts and upon which said curved top marginal portions converge, shoulder straps extending from the top rear margins of said girdle section, each shoulder strap terminating at its front portion in divergent branches connected respectively with the upper end of the extension of said upper front panel and with the top portion of an adjacent girdle side portion, a brassire section having breast receiving members, and cooperative means connected with the top margins of said. receiving members and with said shoulder straps for separably connecting the former in suspended relation from the latter.

. 2. In a foundation garment, a girdle section having high cut side portions, a perpendicularly stretchable panel at the upper front portion of said girdle section between said side portions thereof, said panel having concavely curved top marginal portions to extend around and beneath the breasts of the wearer, said panel having a central upwardly directed extension to extend between the wearers breasts and upon which said curved top marginal portions converge, shoulder straps extending from the top rear margins of said girdle section, each shoulder strap terminating at its front portion in divergent branches connected respectively with the upper end of the extension of said upper front panel and with the top portion of an adjacent girdle side portion, a brassiere section having breast receiving members, cooperative means connected with the top margins of said receiving members and with said shoulder straps for separably connecting the former in suspended relation from the latter, and cooperative means to separably connect together the rear portions of said girdle and brassiere sections.

3. In a foundation garment, a girdle section having high cut elastic side panels to extend below the arm-pits of the wearer and terminating at their forward upper portions in end peaks for disposition adjacent to and forwardly of said arm-pits, aback structure connected between the rearward sides of said side panels, a lower non-elastic front panel connected between the forward sides of said side panels, an elastic upper front panel capable solely of perpendicular stretch connected with the upper end of said lower front panel and between the forward sides of said side panels, said upper front panel having concavely curved top marginal portions extending inwardly from the end peaks of said side panels and around and beneath the breasts of the wearer, said elastic upper front panel having a central upwardly directed free extension to extend between the wearer's breasts and upon which said curved top marginal portions converge to form the apex thereof, shoulder straps secured to and extending from the top rear margins of said back structure, and each shoulder strap terminating at its front portion in divergent branches, the inner branches converging upon and being aflixed to the apex of said upper front panel extension, and the outer branches extending respectively to and being afilxed to the end peaks of the respective elastic side panels.

4. In a foundation garment, a girdle section having high out side panels to extend below the arm-pits of the wearer and terminating at their forward upper portions in end peaks for disposition adjacent to and forwardly of said armpits, a back structure connected between the rearward sides of said side panels, a lower front panel connected between the forward sides of said side panels, a perpendicularly stretchable upper front panel connected with the upper end of said lower front panel and between the forward sides of said side panels, said upper front panel having concavely curved top marginal portions extending inwardly from the end peaks of said side panels and around and beneath the breasts of the wearer, said upper front panel having a central upwardly directed extension to extend between the wearers breasts and upon which 'said curved top marginal portions converge, shoulder straps secured to and extending from the top rear margins of said back structure, each shoulder strap terminating at its front portioni-in divergent branches connected respectively' with the free end of the upper front panel extension and with the end peak of the adjacent side panel, a brassiere section having breast receiving members, cooperative means connected with the intermediate portions of the margins of said receiving members and with said shoulder straps for separably connecting the former in floating suspended relation to the latter and over the upper portions of said girdle section, and unitable rear end portions extending from the sides of said breast receiving members.

5. In a foundation garment, a girdle section having high out side panels to extend below the arm-pits of the wearer and terminating at their forward upper portions in end peaks for disposition adjacent to and forwardly of said arm-pits, a back structure connected between the rearward sides of. said side panels, a lower front panel connected between the forward sides of said side ,panels, a perpendicularly stretchable upper front said side panels, said upper front panel having concavely curved top marginal portions extending inwardly from the end peaks of said side panels and around and beneath the breasts of der strap terminating atits front portion in divergent branches connected respectively with the free end of the upper front panel extension and with the end peak of the adjacent side panel, a brassiere section having breast receiving members, cooperative means connected with the intermediate portions of the top margins of said receiving members and with said shoulder straps for separably connecting the former in floating suspended relation to the latter and over the upperportions of said girdle section, and unitable rear end portions extending from the sides of said breast receiving members, and cooperative means for separably anchoring said united rear end portions of the brassire section to the back structure of, said girdle section.

6. In a foundationgarment, a girdle section having high out side panels to extend below the arm-pits of the wearerand terminating at their forward upper portions in end peaks for disposition adjacent to and forwardly of said arm-pits, a back structure connected between the rearward sides of said side panels, a lower front panel connected between the forward sides of said side panels, a perpendicularly stretchable upper front a panel connected with the upper end of said lower front panel and between the forward sides of said side panels, said upper front panel having concavely curved top marginal portions extending inwardly from the end peaks of said side panels and around and beneath the breasts of the wearer, said upper front panel having a central upwardly directed extension to extend between the wearer's breasts and upon which said curved top marginal portions converge, shoulder straps secured to and extending from the top rear margins of said back structure, each shoulder strap terminating at its front portion in divergent branches connected respectively with the free end of the upper front panel extension and with the end peak of the adjacent side panel,

a brassiere section having breast receiving members, cooperative means connected with the intermediate portions of the top margins of said receiving members and with said shoulder straps for separably connecting the former in floating suspended relation to the latter and over the upper portions of'said girdle section, and unitable rear end portions extending from the sides of said breast-receiving members, and cooperative means for separably anchoring said united rear end portions of the brassiere section to the back structure of said girdle section, said latter means comprising an elastic strap means having a fastener thereon, and vertically spaced fastener elements mounted on said girdle back structure for selective cooperation with said strap fastener element.

pram.- aom more. 

